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Robert Wendell McNair Update

On behalf of my family I would like to thank you for your efforts in honoring the memories of all these men profiled on your pages who gave so much.

I am replying here because I recognise and respect so many of the names on that list above for the simple reason that my father’s name is among them.

S/L HC “Charlie” Trainor flew with 126 Wing in 411 and later as CO of 401 Ram squadron, until he bailed out a second time on Sept 19 during Operation Market-Garden and was taken prisoner.

Thanks also to all who have contributed their stories and those wonderful pictures that you feature. I had the good fortune to meet some of these pilots as a youth at home on PEI and more just a few years ago in nearby Comox BC at a function surrounding the Y2K project.

Wishing you all the best with your efforts here.

For now / Jim Trainor

About the post I wrote…

The only thing I plan on this blog is how I react to my readers’ comments.

I reacted to Buck McNair’s son’s comment yesterday who took the time to copy down all the pilots’ names engraved on the silver mug, and I looked for more information about his father.

Dad was Wing Commander Flying 126 RCAF Airfield in ’43- ’44. I hope this is an appropriate posting because he also flew with Red Indian Squadron 421, mentioned above. Dad was presented with a fine engraved silver beer mug to celebrate him shooting down ” the hundreth Hun” for the squadron. The engraving is, under a fine depiction of the “Red Indian” chieftain, as follows:

He was presented later with a silver tray by 126 Wing, engraved by all the members alive at the time ( including my Godfather and Dad’s Best Man at his wedding). I can’t find a utility to attach photos of the tray and mug but will try to do so later.

Following the war Robert McNair stayed in the RCAF as they had a need for experienced senior officers. He returned to Canada to command of ?? In 1947 the French rewarded his wartime activities of liberating their country by awarding him the Croix de Guerre and the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour.

McNair’s courage and bravery exhibited in WWII carried through to his civil service when in 1953, a North Star aircraft on which he was traveling as Senior Officer crashed at Sea Island, British Columbia. Although injured and soaked in gasoline, he managed to rescue and account for all passengers and crew members. The official commendation likely says it best.

McNAIR, Wing Commander Robert Wendall (sic), DSO, DFC (21047) – Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct – Awarded as per Canada Gazette of 7 August 1954 and AFRO 448/54 dated 13 August 1954. NOTE: This was originally raised as a George Medal recommendation but downgraded inside NDHQ as it was deemed that McNair, being part of the crew, has a special responsibility with respect to passengers.

Wing Commander McNair was flying as a crew member in one of the crew rest positions of North Star 17503 when it crashed at Vancouver, British Columbia on 30 December 1953. The aircraft ended its crash landing run in an inverted position and as a result, all crew and passengers found themselves suspended in mid-aid in an upside down position. Self-preservation was uppermost in the minds of practically everyone because of the imminent danger of fire or explosion but Wing Commander McNair, cognizant of the large number of passengers being carried and the state of turmoil that must be existing, threw caution to the winds, remained in the aircraft and fought his way to the passenger compartment. Here, he set to work, restored calm and through prodigious effort assisted all passengers in evacuating the aircraft as quickly as possible. Still not content, Wing Commander McNair remained in the aircraft and personally searched through the debris on the off chance that someone might have been overlooked. Only then did he abandon the aircraft. It is to be remembered that this officer was soaked in gasoline at the time of this incident from an overturned Herman Nelson heater, a condition which would immediately bring to mind the fact that he had been badly burned by fire in his aircraft during the war and therefore should have been acutely aware of his precarious position under the present set of circumstances. The fact that the aircraft did not explode or did not take fire should not be allowed to detract in any way from the magnitude of Wing Commander McNair’s deeds, for it was only by an act of God that neither calamity occurred.

I don’t have to pay homage to Robert Wendell McNair, people have already done so. This blog has only one purpose. To reach out for relatives of those who served their country and let them share their loved one’s memories.